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These letters were edited with the assistance of Carol Bolton, Tim Fulford and Ian Packer

For permission to publish the text of MSS in their possession, the editor wishes to thank the Beinecke Rare
Books and Manuscript Library, Yale University; Berg Collection of English and American Literature, The New
York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations; the Bodleian Library Oxford University; the
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Now that the Emperor or Imperial Abbot is fairly reinstated upon his
throne, I know once more how to direct, & having just finished off the Capitaneus
Southey is referring to Captain James Burney’s Chronological History of the Discoveries in the South Sea or Pacific
Ocean ... Illustrated with Charts (Vol. 2; 1806) he reviewed in the Annual Review for 1806, 5
(1807), 16–30. proceed to tell you of my goings on.

Coleridge is gone to Wordsworth in Leicestershire Over the winter of 1806–1807 Wordsworth and his
family were living in a farmhouse owned by Sir George Beaumont near his new
house at Coleorton, Leicestershire. on his way to London, where he will perhaps give the Lectures
which have been advertised. According to a letter to Charles Danvers, Coleridge was to ‘lecture at the Royal Institution upon the
Principles common to the Fine Arts’; see Southey to Charles Danvers, 18 October 1806, Letter 1229. He did not in fact lecture
there until 1808, on the subjects of the Principles of Poetry, Shakespeare and Milton.Tom left me on Friday, having been appointed to the Pallas, Thomas Southey’s ship, launched in 1804, was a 32 gun fifth rate frigate, whose first captain was Thomas
Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald (1775–1860; DNB), under whom she was involved in the capture of many French
and Spanish warships. – I have some hope of his promotion, for Wynn has
mentioned him to his Uncle. So I am left alone to my winter occupations, & truly
they are quite sufficient to employ me. Two months however, if no unlucky interruption prevent, will be sufficient to clear all
off, & send Espriella & Palmerin into the world. Southey published his
Letters from England by Don Manuel Alvarez Espriella: Translated from the Spanish and an English
translation of Palmerin of England, by Francisco Moraes in 4 volumes in 1807. I have an additional &
weighty motive for dispatch. The times being South-America mad my account of Brazil, instead of being the last work in the series
must be the first. The prospective flight of the Portuguese court to Brazil (29 November
1807) prompted Southey, at his uncle Herbert Hill’s request, to begin a
history of Brazil, using papers sent him by Hill and stored by Rickman; See
Southey to John Rickman, 23 December 1806, Letter 1247. Southey wished Wynn to
use his position as Under Secretary of State in the Home Office to ascertain whether the government might provide him support
during the preparation of a work likely to provide it with useful information in the new political situation. There are
in the bookcase downstairs at your housex sixteen bundles of sealed papers. Those papers contain more information
concerning South America than his Majestys Agents have been able to obtain at Lisbon – more in all probability than any other
person in Europe possesses except one Frenchman, now returned to Paris. The identity of
this Frenchman is unclear. It is likely that he was Abbé Francois Garnier (1722–1804), the long-standing chaplain to the
French factory in Lisbon. A less likely possibility is Abbé Jean-Antoine Dubois (1765–1848), a French Catholic missionary
in India, whose long sojourn in the southern districts brought him into contact with the legacy of Portuguese Catholic
colonialism there. Dubois’s manuscript history of Indian religion was purchased by the East India Company and published in
English as Description of the Character, Manners and Customs of the People of India, and of their Institutions,
Religious and Civil (1816). he has seen them, & is very likely to get the start of me: – unless, which
is not improbable, Bonaparte should chuse to withold from the world information which would be of specific use to England.

Concerning these papers, of whose contents I was till last week ignorant, my Uncle has written to me, urging me to make all possible speed with this part of
the work, & desiring me to offer the information to government. I inclosed the letters up to Wynn, & it may be that he will advise me to come up to London upon this business.
I hope not. I should rather wash my hands of all other business first, & then can certainly in half a year accomplish a large
volume, – for on this subject there is no collateral information to hunt for. A very few books contain all the printed history,
& there will be more difficulty in planning the work well than in executing it. – There will be business of some consequence
in the way of map making xxx which will delight Arrowsmith, Aaron Arrowsmith
(1750–1823; DNB), cartographer and map publisher.my Uncle having very valuable materials for a map of Brazil.

This is of so much consequence that it will perhaps be advisable to let the Palmerin sleep & so save a months
time, which may be better spared for it when I get the book fairly in the press – but this we shall see. I have the first
materials here & can advance some way with them. Wynns letter will instruct me
whether to set to work for myself, or for the government – giving them information is God knows throwing pearls you know to whom –
but so the pearls be paid for, – well. The best thing they could do for me, & for themselves if they really want information
respecting South America – is to send me to Lisbon for that specific purpose – without any ostensible charge.

As you may suppose we were all here as staunch Paullites James Paull
(1770–1808; DNB), Indian trader (1790–1805) and radical politician, who stood for Westminster in the general
election of November 1806, against Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751–1816; DNB) for the Whigs and Sir Samuel Hood
(1762–1814; DNB) for the Tories. as the son of the Mermaid himself. There is nothing in the world like
resolute – straightforward honesty. & is sure to conquer in the long run. I have been reading Quaker-history, which is worth
reading because it proves this, & proves also that institutions can compleatly new mould our nature, – for if the instinct of
self defence can be subdued, nothing else is so powerful. – Fox’s death is a loss
to me – who had a promise from him – but I will not affect to think it a loss to the country. he lived a year too long. England
cannot fall yet, blessed be God, because its inhabitants are Englishmen – but if any thing could destroy a country it would be the
incurable folly of such governors, & the utter hopelessness there is of getting better ones with such a representation. My
plan for reform is to sow Hounslow Heath with hemp & inclose it with gibbets.
Hounslow Heath, London, was crossed by major routes to the West country and became a notorious haunt of highwaymen and
robbers. Southey suggests growing ‘hemp’ for rope, and building devices to hang them.

How is Mrs Rickman? – a question of more
consequence than where is the key of Prussia – or if the Russians have cut off a regiment of French. We go on tolerably well. Poor
Herbert indeed rests neither day nor night for flatulence – yet he grows –
& is uncommonly lazy for his age. My daughter goes on excellently well – if
his brain be but as capable as hers, much as I should hope – my hopes would be satisfied.

Have you seen the Memoirs of Colonel Hutchinson? Lucy Hutchinson (née
Apsley; 1620–1681; DNB) and Julius Hutchinson (dates unknown), Memoirs of the Life of Colonel
Hutchinson (1806). Southey reviewed this work in the Annual Review for 1806, 5 (1807),
361–378. If not by all means read it – it is the history of a right Englishman, – & the sketch of English history
which it contains from the time of the Reformation is so admirable that it ought to make even Scotchmen ashamed to mention the
rascally name of Hume. The Scottish philosopher and historian, David Hume (1711–1776;
DNB), whose The History of England, 6 vols (1754–1762) was the best-selling general history
of the age. I have seldom been so deeply interested by any book as by this.

Inclosed is some verbal criticism for Duppa See Southey to [Richard Duppa], fragment [December 1806], Letter 1248. which
because of its duplicity profits by the Imperial Abbots privilege – a better title
that than Lord Bishop – God bless you. – Can you by means of any Almanack vade-mecum A
‘go-with-me’ or handbook. or memorabilia tell me the dates of the Kings message which led to the
war, The King’s message is discussed in Letter 61 of Letters from England by
Don Manuel Alvarez Espriella. Translated from the Spanish, 3 vols (London, 1807). of Despards
Execution Edward Marcus Despard (1751–1803; DNB), a revolutionary hung
for treason on 21 February 1803. He is discussed in Letters from England, letter 48. – & of Emmets
insurrection Robert Emmet (1778–1803; DNB), executed on 20 September
1803 for his part in a rebellion, discussed in letter 61 of Letters from England. Southey published an elegy on
Emmet in the Iris; or, Norwich and Norfolk Weekly Advertiser on 12 November 1803. See Robert Southey:
Poetical Works 1793–1810, gen. ed. Lynda Pratt, 5 vols (London, 2004), V, pp. 420–423. – things necessary
to be touched upon by any friend from Spain?